New Zealand volcano eruption — in pictures
A volcano on New Zealand's White Island erupted on Monday sending a large plume of smoke into the sky over the popular tourist destination.
Last-second escape
Tourist Michael Schade wrote on Twitter as he posted video of the eruption that his "family and I had gotten off it 20 minutes before, were waiting at our boat about to leave when we saw it. Boat ride home tending to people our boat rescued was indescribable.''
Whakaari smoke billows
Massive clouds of smoke and debris billow from New Zealand's White Island (also known as Whakaari) in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. It's a destination that's popular with tourists because of its unusual, moon-like surface.
Aerial view of hikers
This aerial view shows a group of tourists at the crater's rim before it erupted. About 10,000 people visit the volcano every year. It was unclear whether the group was alerted to flee or was continuing a tour, unaware of the looming danger.
Thick smoke
Thick clouds of ash, steam and debris spew from New Zealand's most active volcano cone, 70% of which is underwater, according to New Zealand volcano agency GeoNet. It has erupted frequently over the last half-century, most recently in 2016.
Hospitalized
Injured tourists are ferried into waiting ambulances ready to transport them to several hospitals including Whakatane, Tauranga, Middlemore and Auckland City, following the eruption.